Riel letter shared with the public

Page 4

The public has a chance to see a little piece of history, thanks to a public exhibition of a letter to the editor of the Ottawa Citizen, written by Louis Riel days before his execution.

The letter to James Johson was publicly displayed for the first time at the Saskatchewan Archives in Regina on June 20, and expressed Riel's thanks for an editorial that appeared in the Citizen suggesting that, despite being found guilty of treason, Riel and his fighting party should be pardoned. The letter was penned from a Regina jail on Nov. 9, 1885 on the eve of what was to be Riel's execution, although his hanging would be delayed until the Nov. 16.

"Tell Mr. J. Johnson I thank him for his leniency?for the Prophet of the New World," was the main text of this 36-word document.

The letter was never published. Johnson, and later his descendants, kept it until two years ago when the family sold it back to the Citizen. When the newspaper was preparing a retrospective of previous letters to the editor, it was decided that Riel's letter should be put on display. The letter is part of an exhibition entitled Louis David Riel: A Letter to the Editor, which was co-oordinated by CanWest Global Communications, the Saskatchewan Archives, and the Library and Archives of Canada.

At the unveiling, Ian Wilson, Canada's national archivist, talked about how much foresight Johnson must have had to personally preserve the note.

"It was clear from the very beginning that things associated with the rebellion were historical," Wilson pointed out, adding that by publicly coming out in favour of leniency for Riel, Johnson had bucked a social trend when it came to the Metis leader's cause.

"This was a very advanced attitude in terms of the day, especially from a position in eastern Canada."

With the nation split between Anglophones and Francophones about how Riel should be dealt with, the decision of the jury hearing Riel's case added fuel to the fire. The jury found him guilty, but recommended he not be sent to the gallows, even though that was the penalty for the crime of treason.

Without question, the sentiment among the English, including the press, was that Riel's fate was sealed, noted the head of the history department at the University of Regina, Bill Brennan.

"Letters to the editors in Ontario said that justice should take its course because he led a rebellion against the Crown. There was no debate," said Brennan.

The letter has been valued at $15,000, not only because of it's historical significance, but also because its authenticity was verified in a letter written in December 1885 by the priest who witnessed Riel writing it. The value is also increased because of the good condition of the paper it is written on, and the fact that it was written on a single piece of paper and is signed.

The Citizen's editorial pages editor Graham Green said his publication paid a fair price for the letter because it was the family that wanted the document to be returned to the newspaper.

Even though Riel's gratitude didn't see print in 1885, Green said the importance of letters to the editor cannot be understated.

"These aren't the record keepers but ordinary people and what they thought about on that particular day and it gives historians a context as to what happened in the news of the day," Green said.

The exhibit will be at the Saskatchewan Archives in Regina until July 11.